Machine for twisting fiber in hanks



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. M. MACINTOSH.

MACHINE FOR TWISTING FIBER IN BANKS.

No. 405,741. Patented June 25,1889.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 2. R. MpMACINTOSH.

MAGHINE PoR TWISTING FIBER vIN BANKS.

No. 405,741. Patented June 25, 1889.

Inventur: 'gg/ Lrg :lj

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ROBERT M. MACINTOSHLOF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR TWISTING FIBER IN HANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 405,741, dated J une 25, 1889.

Application filed September 7, 1888l Serial No. 284,794. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. MACINTOSH, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Twisting Fiber in Hanks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide a machine for twisting fiber in the hank to soften the same and render it smoother and more elastic, and at the same time increase its tensile strength, Iny improved machine being especially adapted for treating linen fiber for sewing-machines, more particularly of that class in which the thread is waxed to strengthen it.

twisted a given or predetermined number of times and have its strength. increased; but if twisted more than the said predetermined number the thread deteriorates in strength. Then treated by hand, a uniformity of work by different operators, and even by the same operator, cannot be obtained, and therefore it is substantially impossible to obtain linen threads having a uniform strength and iinish.

It is the object of this invention to provide a machine by which the same or predeter- Inined number of twists may be given to each bank of thread, whereby the increase in strength of t-he threads is uniform, and a smoother, more elastic, and stronger thread is obtained.

Myinvention therefore consists, essentially, in a Inachine for twisting' fiber in hanks, of two heads, and bobbins carried by them, and about which the bank is placed, one ofI the said heads being movable with relation to the other, combined with a main shaft,

gears to operate said bobbins, and a clutch mechanism to produce opposite rotations of the said shaft, and with a controlling meehanism, substantially as will be described, connected to and operating the clutch mechanism to control or govern the direction and duration ot' rotation of the said main shaft, and means, substantially as will be described, to produce longitudinal movement of the hank, substantially as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specilication.

Figure lis a side elevation, partially broken out, of a machine embodying my invention, the table and part of the stationary head supported thereby being broken out; Fig. 2, an end elevation, partially broken out, of the machine shown in Fig. l, looking toward t-he right; Fig. 3, an elevation of the movable head, looking lin the direction of arrow 20, Fig. l; Fig. 4, a section and elevation of the front portion of the machine to Inore clearly show the automatic stop-motion, the section being taken on line a Fig. 5; Fig. 5, a side elevation, partially broken out, of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 4; Fig. (i, a similar viewto that shown in Fig. 4, with the automatic stop-motion in operative position; Fig. 7, a side elevation of the rear portion of a modiied form of machine; Fin'. S, a detail to be referred to, and Fig. 9 details of the mechanism fo'r producing rotation of the bobbins carried by the movable head.

The frame A of the Inachine (herein shown as solid and which in practice is supported upon suitable legs not shown) sustains at its rear end a bracket or upright A', supporting one end of rods a, one at each side of the Inachine, having their other ends connected to a stationary head, herein shown as a shell or box a secured by bolts a2 to the frame of the' machine near its center. The rods a support a movable head l), (herein shown as a shell or hollow boX similar to the shell or.boX a,) the movable head b sliding upon the said rods, and having attached to it, as herein shown, a weight b by cord b2, passed over a sheave b3, supported by the upright b4, secured to the bed, the said weight acting to restore the movable head b to its normal position. (Shown in Fig. l.) The movablehead b supports a shaft Irl, having mounted upon it outside the said head abevel-gear b, in mesh with bevelgears bl bs, mounted onshafts or arbors b9 121, having bearings in arms U2, secured to the head l). The shafts L" blo have mounted on them gears c c', in mesh with gears c2 c3 on shafts c4 c5, supported by arms 1912, secured to the ,l head b. The shafts referred to have mounted'fast on them bobbins c, each having its periphery chrved or rounding, as shown in Fig, 3, fora purpose to be hereinafter described. vThe stationary head a" forms Within it journal-bearings for the shaft b5, which constitutes the main shaft of the machine, it being provided, as herein shown, with suitable loose pulleys c12 cl3, Which are revolved in opposite directions in usual manner by belts. (Not shown.) The main shaft b5within the head a has mounted on it a gear ax, (see Fig. 2,) in meshvwith gears c7, there being as many gears e7 as there are bobbins carried by the .movable head, the number of which, as helQn Shown, is four. The main shaft b5 o f the InaQhine is rotated, as'herein shown, bya

clutch mechanism d, which is automatically thrown in engagement with one or the other of, the loose pulleys cl2 cl3, according to the direction with which it is desired to rotate the said shaft. j

In practice a hank df of ber, preferably linen thread, has one end passed over one of the bobbius ,01.9, loosely mounted on an arm a8 Secured to Q1,1 forming part of the shaft of the gear c7, and having its4 other end passed over one of the hobbins ci, preferably in line with the bobbin 010, and the threads com pri sin g the hvalllharelad Over the' curved periphery of thesad, hobbins, so that a substantially uniforni number et individual threads will be superimposed upon each other, whereby when the bank is twist-ed undue strain Will not fall upon Sonne of the threads and vnot on others, het instead thereof all the threads of the nll be subjected to substantially the Same. Strain. Let it be supposed that the clutch d is in engagement with the pulley 013 and that the mam" Shaft is rotated in a directiQn to twist the lianks. As the hanks are twisted the head bj is moved along the rods a and approaches the stationary head a until the hanks have been subjected to a given number of twists to acquire the desired tension or, friction on the threads.

Themaill shaft b5, near the front end of the machine, has mounted upon it a pinion e in mesh with a gear e' mounted on a threaded riode@ supported in uprights e3, The threaded rod e? has fast upon it collars` e4. e5, provided with lugs e?, which are adapted to'` engage lugs el oh a pinion orcollar'e?, having its inner periphery threaded to engage the threads of the'rod e?, .SQ that the said 'rod is rotated the pinion ci is caused to travel back 'and forth between the collars e4 e5, for a purpOse to be described.l The pinione8 engages'one or mOlIQ teeth 2 5 (see F-ig't) on the periphery of a hub el", fast on a shaft e indunted in uprglis 6.3 @13, the said shaft having a crankarm "orfcrank 615, connected by the link @16 (seefFig. 2) to one arm of a clutch-lever e, pivoted -in uprights els, and having its other arm forked to engage a grooveY in the clutch chine.

d, said clutch being provided, as herein shown, Withserrations or teeth 26, to engage corresponding teeth in the pulleys cl2 013, the said 7o pinion and collars e4 e5 constituting a controlling and reversing mechanism for the ma-v As the shaft b5 revolves in the direction to twist the hank of thread the pinion e8 is moved along one of the teeth of the hub 7 5 coby the rotation of the threaded rod e2 until a lug e7 engages a lug c6 on the collar e5. Vhen the lug e6 on the collar e5 strikes the lug e7 on the pinion, the said pinion is given a limited rotation sufficient to turn or rock 8o the hub el@ the distance of one tooth. As the h-ub elo is moved the arm @15, secured to its shaft, is moved, and the clutch-lever, through the link el, turned on its pivot to disengage the clutch from the pulley 013 and engage it with the pulley c1?, whereby a reverse rotation of the main shaft isv effected. A 's'the main shaft is rotated in the opposite direction the gears c7 arerotated to untwist the `hanks to the same extent that they have been tvvi's'ted, 9o

the weight b moving the head b and its attached bobbins back into the normal position. (Shown in Fig-l.) As the shaft is rotatedin the reverse direction te unwind the hanks the pinion ess moved from engagementwith 9K5 the collar c5 into engagement with the collar sition to engage fthe clutch d with thefpulley cl3, thereby causing the main shaft to be'again rotated `in the proper direction to twist' the IDO banks, the proper adjustment of the collar e4 on the threaded I'Qd e preventing the banks being twisted in the Wrong or opposite direction.

In order that the hank may not be subjected to strain at the same point when it is twisted', the bobbins cG are rotated for substantially an instant to produce a longitudinal movement of the hank, preferablybya dog or paWl f, (see Figy 9.,) located, as lherein shown, in a Way or slot in thehub of the gear b, the said dog or pawl being acted upon by a spring f', which keeps it in engagement with the shaft, which, as herein shown, is cut away, as at f?, to form a tooth, which engaged by the said dog or pa'wl Whenthh shaft; commences its rotation in a ldirection` to twist the hanks. The gear h6 is thus rotated by the engagement of the dog or paj'wl f vvith the tooth 'on the shaft, the rotation of the said gear through the gears above referred to producing rotation ofthe bobbins c6, and consequently longitudinal'movement of the hanks'. The tooth f2 on the shaft is made of such length thatit will be in engagement with the dog or pavvl only at thebeginning of thefor- Ward-,movement of the movable head.

Instead of the pawl f and tooth or notch f2.

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on the shaft, I may employ a toothed hub f5, (see Figs. 7 and 8,) which engages the toothed end of the hub of the gear b, the hub of the said gear being extended through the movable head.

It will be noticed that the rotation of the shaft is controlled by the pinion es and collars et e5, and that the same number of twists given' to the hank bythe rotation of the shaft in one direction is taken out by the rotation of the shaft in the opposite direction, so that the bobbins c are rotated to move the hank .longitudinally when the said hank is slack or free from twists.

In order that the hanks may not be twisted more than a predetermined number of times, I have provided an automatic stop-motion, by which the clutch is disengaged from the pulleys and made to occupy an intermediate position. (Shown in Fig. I.) A

The automatic stop-motion consists, as herein shown, of a stud or projection g on the link.

el, which is engaged by a lug or projection g on a pattern-chain g2, (see Fig. 4,) passed about a sprocket-wheel g5, having secured to it a ratchet-wheel g, which is engaged by a pawl Q7, secured to the crank 915, so that as the clutch is moved from one to the other pulley the ratchet-wheel and pulley are turned one tooth-that is, a tooth for each twist of the hank. Vhen the hank has received the desired or predetermined number of twists, the lug g. on the pattern-cha-in will engage the stud g on the link el and hold the clutch out of engagement with the loose pulleys.

It is evident that the pattern-chain may be changed to produce any desired number of twists.

I prefer to employ loose pulleys on the main shaft; but it is evident that the said shaft maybe rotated in opposite directions bysuitable gearing.

The movable head is restored to its normal position, as herein shown, by a weight; and while I prefer to employ a weight, I do not desire to limit myself to this construction, asa spring may be employed for the same purpose.

I claiml. In amachine for twisting liber in hanks, the combination, with a stationary head and a bobbin carried thereby and about which one end of a hank is placed, of a horizontally-movable head and a bobbin carried by it and about which the other end of the hank is placed, gears to produce rotation of said bobbins, a main shaft, a clutch mechanism to operate it, a pulley adapted to be engaged by said clutch mechanism to produce rotation of the main shaft in one direction to twist the hank, a second pulley on the main shaft to be engaged by the clutch mechanism to rotate the main shaft in the opposite direction to untwist the hank, and means, substantially as described, to withdraw the movable head from the stationary head as the hank is being untwisted, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for twisting iiberin hanks, a stationary head and a bobbin carried thereby and about whichv one end of a hank is placed, combined with a movable head and a bobbin carried by it and about which the other end of the hank is placed, a main shaft provided with pulleys, gears to produce rotation of said bobbins, a clutch mechanism to engage said pulleys, and a reversing mech anism connected to said clutch mechanism, and consisting of a threaded rod c2, collars fixed thereon and provided with lugs e, and a pinion or collar e8, traveling on said rod, and provided with lugs to enga-ge the lugs on the said collars to automatically engage said clutch with one pulley to twist the hank a predetermined number of times, and with the other pulley to 'untwist the hank, and with means, Vsubstantially as described, to withdraw the movable head from the stationary head as the hank is being un twisted, substantially as described.

In a machine for twisting liber in hanks, the combination, with a stationary head and a bobbin carried thereby and about which one end of a hank is placed, of a movable head and a bobbin carried by it and about which the other end of the hank is placed, gears to produce rotation of the said bobbins, -a main shaft provided with pulleys, a clutch mechanism to engage said pulleys, and a reversing mechanism connected to said clutch mechanism and adapted to engage said clutch with one pulley to twist the hank and with the other pulley to untwist the hank, and with means, substantially as described, to withdraw the movable head from the stationary head as the hank is heilig untwisted, and a stopping device actuated by the reversing mechanism to center the said clutch mechanism, and thereby automatically stop the machine when the hank has been twisted a predetermined number of times, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for twisting iiber in hanks, a stationary head, a main shaft provided with a gear, a bobbin about which one end of the hank isplaced, and a gear to rotate said bobbin, through which the main shaft is extended, a gear mounted on the main shaft and carried by the movable head, and a bobbin carried by the movable head and provided with a gear in mesh with the gear on the main shaft, pulleys on the main shaft, and a clutch mechanism to engage said pulleys to produce opposite rotation of the main shaft, and means, substantially as described, to produce rotation of the gears carried by the movable head to move the hank longitudinally, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for twisting liber in hanks, two heads and bobbins carried by them and about which the hank is placed, one of the combined with a movable head.

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ISO

said heads being movable With relation to the other, and gears to produce rotation of the bobbins, as described, combined with amain shaft and a clutch mechanism to produce opposite rotations of the said shaft, and with a controlling mechanism, substantially as described, driven by the main shaft and connected to and operating the Vclutch mechanism to control or govern the direction and duration of rotation of the said main shaft, the said controlling mechanism automatically operating the said clutch mechanism to produce rotation of the mainshaft in one direction to give to the hank a predetermined number Witnesses;

vJAs. H. CHURCHILL,

FREDERICK L. EMERY. 

